Vehicle telematic devices monitor the location, movements, status, and behavior of a vehicle. Such devices commonly use GPS receivers and an electronic device to transmit the collected data. Vehicle telematic devices can additionally include capabilities to interface with signals from the car. Such devices are often purpose-built devices installed in the car or vehicle; however, mobile phones also contain sensing capabilities similar to those of telematic devices and can be used in such a capacity.
Vehicle telematic devices are typically used for functions like navigation and position monitoring, but they can also be used to detect the occurrence of vehicle accidents. Unfortunately, traditional accident detection techniques often fail to take advantage of the numerous sensor data sources available to modern smartphones, and thus are not able to deliver the resolution of detail needed for an ideal response to an accident. Thus, there is a need in the vehicle telematic field to create a new and useful method for smartphone-based accident detection. This invention provides such a new and useful method.